FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr has criticized journalist Scott Pelley for being 'out of touch' following his dismissal from CBS's '60 Minutes', as reported by the New York Times.
Carr's Critique on Social Media
In a post on X, Carr remarked, "One of the reasons why trust in media is so low is because many legacy journalists are completely out of touch. You could not get away with that behavior at any run of the mill job. It is revealing to see how blind some are to that."
His comments were directed at Pelley's recent criticisms of CBS News and '60 Minutes', particularly aimed at the show's new executive producer, Nick Bilton.
Pelley's Dispute with CBS Executives
On May 25, Pelley reportedly criticized Bilton, calling him unqualified for his role. Bilton had been brought into '60 Minutes' by CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. Pelley accused Weiss of 'murdering' the show.
By June 2, Bilton issued a letter firing Pelley, stating, "Your antipathy to the future of the show has come through loud and clear. And I have heard you. I therefore write on behalf of CBS News to inform you that your employment with CBS is terminated effective immediately."
Pelley's Call for Change
In his NYT interview, Pelley urged the removal of Weiss, suggesting she lacked experience in television. He expressed that '60 Minutes' required 'adult supervision' and criticized the new leadership for their lack of TV experience.
Pelley told interviewer Lulu Garcia-Navarro, "We have people who’ve been installed in these jobs who through no fault of their own have no experience in television. They don’t know what they’re doing. And there’s a subtle political bias that I’ve never seen at '60 Minutes' before, or at CBS News before. So that is my hope: a return to sanity."
Source: https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/brendan-carr-scott-pelley-out-of-touch-60-minutes-firing-1236768975/
